The invention set forth in this specification pertains to a new and improved structure which is useful in playing a game in which a tethered ball is repeatedly engaged so as to be hit back and forth in much the manner in which a ball is hit back and forth in a conventional net type game such as tennis, Ping Pong, badminton or the like.
Virtually everyone is familiar with such conventional net type games. The widespread popularity of these games attests that they are of a desirable character. Unfortunately it is impossible to play many of such games in a comparatively small indoor area because of the playing area required with such games. Some of such net type games such as Ping Pong are normally considered to be suitable for use in comparatively small indoor areas because of the size of the playing court or table required. Such games are, however, relatively disadvantageous for indoor use because of the fact that the balls used with them are not tethered and hence are apt to be hit into areas which are inaccessible and/or in such a manner as to cause damage to various objects located in the areas where such games are played.
It is considered that these considerations have resulted in the development of various different games employing a ball tethered by a flexible member such as a rope or elastic cord or the like to an upright support. Such games may be played by the tethered ball being manually engaged so as to move back and forth between different locations. Some of such games are constructed so that the tether for the ball is wound around a support as such a game is played. For many play purposes it is considered more desirable to have a tethered ball type game constructed so that it can be played by several players using paddles or rackets to propel the ball back and forth relative to the support for a tether rather than to wind the tether around the support. It is commonly considered that the use of a racket in engaging a ball and moving it back and forth between areas on different sides of the tether is desirable because of the amount of force which can be applied to a ball through the use of a racket or paddle.
Structures for holding a tethered ball so that such a ball may be hit back and forth between different areas with paddles or rackets have been constructed in various different ways. It is considered that those structures in which a flexible rope like tether is merely connected to the top of an upright support are undesirable because there is the tendency for the tethered ball to engage the support as it is hit back and forth and because there is a tendency for the tethered ball to remain in the area of the support if it is not properly engaged with a paddle or racket.
It has been proposed to remedy this type of problem through the use of an arm pivotally mounted on an upright support so as to carry the tether attached to the ball at a point remote from the upright support. Although this type of structure is considered to be utilitarian it is considered to be somewhat undesirable because of the costs of and problems relating to the reliability of the pivotal connection between the arm and the support. Further, this type of structure does not adequately control the movement of the tethered ball so as to effectively simulate movement of a ball from one side of the net in a conventional net type game to the other.